Runco Unveils the Future of Home Theater Projection

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27-Dec-2009

The revolutionary QuantumColor Series pairs game-changing, energy-saving LED technology with proprietary Runco engineering to create unsurpassed performance and unrivaled customization.

Atlanta, GA - CEDIA EXPO 2009 - September 9, 2009 - As the steadfast leader in luxury video solutions for more than 20 years, Runco® has shaped the home theater projector market from its infancy. Today, Runco changes the landscape of custom home theater projection once again with the introduction of its QuantumColor™ Q-750i and Q-750d. The QuantumColor projectors maximize the benefits of Runco's new InfiniLight™ lampless LED illumination technology and pair it with proprietary engineering breakthroughs to create energy-efficient systems that deliver must-see projection performance.

"LED-based projection is incredibly complex and Runco has significantly invested to lead in this category," stated Runco CEO Gerry Perkel. "QuantumColor is a revolutionary solution that maximizes LED performance and offers a never-before-seen color gamut. But, having these features is only part of the magic. To make this a revolutionary new platform, Runco created proprietary technologies that harness the impressive color gamut to create images that are nothing short of stunning."

Working in close collaboration with Texas Instruments, Runco has invested considerable time to create never-before-seen color options for home theater projectors. QuantumColor projectors offer the most astounding arsenal of colors ever available in front projection, including DCI (Digital Cinema Initiative), Adobe RGB, sRGB, REC 709 and REC 601, to enable exact reproduction of any content. To harness these incredible color gamuts, Runco introduces its revolutionary new Personal Color Equalizer™ (PCE), a six-axis (R, G, B, C, Y, M) color adjustment that works like an audio equalizer and allows colors to be individually dialed up and down for every video source and multiple personal preferences. Runco's PCE enables custom integrators to achieve unprecedented colors that include those exactly defined by Hollywood's cinematographers and the color preferences that each individual viewer chooses for each source.

Color equalizing is revolutionary, but such a large color gamut can distort images if not coded properly. To eliminate unrealistic distortion, Runco developed Runco SmartColor (RSC™), which is a proprietary hue compensation curve and gamut mapping technology that preserves lifelike, accurate flesh tones by increasing color saturation, without sacrificing the purity of other colors. True to Runco's Installer Dependant™ legacy, RSC enables custom installers to create color preference settings for their clients who, for example, want REC 709 perfect HD encoding when watching Blu-ray, but prefer incredibly green grass that pops off the screen when watching football-all without sacrificing or adjusting other colors, which leads to unrealistic flesh tones and oversaturation. QuantumColor projectors never lose color alignment as they automatically assess and adjust color calibration every time they are turned on.

"Runco has been innovating and changing projection technology for years," says Joel Silver, founder and president of the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF™). "An LED lampless light source is clearly the next step in front projection, and Runco's investment in color gamut and customization puts its QuantumColor projectors well ahead of the pack. The innovation offered by Runco's Personal Color Equalizer easily enables accurate color gamut for all current sources."

Runco's proprietary technologies enable the Quantum Series to achieve a new level of customized HD video performance that, until now, has been unachievable. QuantumColor enables the projectors to produce immeasurable black/white contrast and new color standards, redefining projector specifications as we know them and demanding new ways to be measured. Runco's QuantumColor projectors are the first to measure ColorContrast™, the ratio of a single color at its darkest (black) to its brightest by utilizing an incident light meter. The difference between these measured colors is greater than lamp-based projectors and ColorContrast enables colors to be "turned up" to achieve greater realism and dimensionality. The result is an unsurpassed visual experience that must be seen to be understood.

Runco's InstantOn™ feature provides a nearly-immediate projected image when turned on, just like a TV, whereas most lamp-based products require two minutes to warm up. InstantOn saves the QuantumColor owner both time and money, because the projector no longer needs to be left in standby mode, which consumes power when the projector is not in use. Runco's implementation of InfiniLight technology has enabled a solid-state illumination system that eliminates the need for a lamp, mechanical iris and color wheel; the absence of which provides enhanced reliability. In addition, Runco's QuantumColor projectors operate using a staggering 70-percent less power than lamp-based projectors. Having no lamp to replace, the projectors also eliminate the disposal of hazardous material, including traditional lamp composites, such as mercury and lead.

Each Runco QuantumColor projector offers two lens options to accommodate nearly every theater and various screen sizes. For the ultimate in viewing flexibility and enjoyment, each model is available with Runco's exclusive, award-winning CineWide™ and CineWide with AutoScope™ technology. These technologies reproduce 2.35:1 CinemaScope™ movies with unparalleled accuracy and full vertical screen image height, and eliminate useless black bars.

Runco's QuantumColor projectors have it all - no lamp to replace, never-before-seen colors, high reliability, low power consumption - available exclusively through the best dealers in the home theater business, the Runco authorized dealer network. Like all Runco Home Theater products, each are built with quality and craftsmanship to ensure an amazing experience. All Runco displays feature a two-year RuncoCare standard warranty and extended options are also available. RuncoCare is simple, convenient and offers the best protection in the industry.

Runco's QuantumColor Series Q-750i features integrated video processing, and the Q-750d is paired with Runco's latest DHD controller/processor. The Runco QuantumColor Q-750i will ship in November 2009 with an MSRP of $14,995. The Q-750d will ship a month later with an MSRP of $17,995.

Founded in 1987 and acquired by Planar Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLNR) in 2007, Runco is a market leader in state-of-the-art projection systems, flat-panel plasma monitors, video processors and other components for the custom consumer market. Runco's innovations, including features that have become essential for the new digital high-definition capable televisions, have won numerous awards and citations from the world press. Runco continues to be a pioneer in the custom video display market.
Planar Systems, Inc is a global leader of specialty display technology providing hardware and software solutions for the world's most demanding environments including hospitals, space and military programs, utility and transportation hubs, shopping centers, banks, government agencies, businesses, and home theaters.